Better Choice
by Peradan
Summary: Faramir goes to Rivendell instead of Boromir and this is A Good Thing. AU, obviously.


Seated between the Mirkwood Elves and the Dwarves was a tall man who Frodo at first mistook for a strange Elf, although he quickly realised his mistake. He bore a distinct resemblance to Strider, both in feature and expression, but his face was young and fair, and his grey eyes were not deep and dark, but clear, and very bright, more akin to those of the Elves on his left. He was cloaked and booted as if for a journey on horseback; and indeed his garments, worn green and brown like Strider's or Legolas', were stained with long travel. His black hair was shorn about his shoulders, and he gazed at Frodo and Bilbo in sudden wonder.

"Here," said Elrond, turning to Gandalf, "is Faramir, our kin through many generations of Men, and I believe a friend of yours. He arrived in the grey morning, and seeks for counsel. I have bidden him to be present, for here his questions will be answered."

Frodo could not help relishing the astonished expression that crossed Gandalf's face; he had never seen him really surprised, despite Frodo's and his cousins' many efforts. The wizard and the man instantly exchanged warm, if brief, greetings, before Glóin began. He spoke of the Dwarves and of Moria and of their Rings; and of the Black Rider who had come as emissary of Sauron. Frodo shivered in remembrance.

Then the Council began in truth, as Elrond stood and addressed all present. (Even Sam, Frodo noted with some amusement.) "What shall we do with the Ring, the least of rings, the trifle that Sauron fancies? That is the doom that we must deem." The man, Faramir, started.

"That is the purpose for which you are called hither. Called, I say, though I have not called you to me, strangers from distant lands. You have come and are here met, in this very nick of time, by chance as it may seem." Most of those present looked distinctly sceptical. "Yet it is not so. Believe rather that it is so ordered that we, who sit here, and none others, must now find counsel for the peril of the world." A trace of uncertainty crossed a number of faces, and Elrond smiled kindly.

"Now, therefore, things shall be openly spoken that have been hidden from all but a few until this day. And first, so that all may understand what is the peril, the Tale of the Ring shall be told from the beginning even to this present. And I will begin that tale, though others shall end it."

He continued to speak, at such great length that Frodo occasionally felt his eyelids drooping; but he listened eagerly to what was said of Númenor, of the Elven-smiths of Eregion, and of the fates of Arnor and Gondor, the kingdoms of the Dúnedain-in-Exile. Both men stirred, their faces sad and proud, but neither spoke; and then it was time for Bilbo's story, which was duly told. Not a single riddle was omitted; and all three, Glóin and Bilbo and Gandalf, often smiled in remembrance of events which of course were not at all amusing at the time. It made Frodo's own story that much easier, although he was interrupted at every turn.

And finally, he was able to discover what, exactly, had happened to Gandalf. Frodo knew but little of Saruman, but by the expressions on the faces of the others, his betrayal was a great thing indeed. Faramir flushed slightly as Gandalf spoke of his chilly welcome by the Steward Denethor in Gondor, but all colour drained from his face as soon as Saruman's treachery was made clear. Frodo felt rather sorry for him, for it was he who was next, and last, called upon to tell his tale.

"It is from Gondor that I am come," he said, in a quiet voice that nonetheless carried to all corners of the room, "and I would beg leave to speak somewhat of my people, and of the threat we face. Master Elrond has spoken truly of my people, and our lands; we have changed, declining from Númenor to Middle-earth. We can do no more than fight on, putting off the evil day when darkness covers all the lands from Ithilien to the western shores, unless other help unlooked-for also comes, from Elves or Men. For the Enemy increases and we decrease. We are a failing people, a springless autumn.

"It is not said that evil arts were ever practised in Gondor, as they were in many other lands settled by the Númenóreans, or that the Nameless One was ever named in honour there; and the old wisdom and beauty brought out of the West remained long in the realm of the sons of Elendil the Fair, and they linger there still. Yet ever so it was Gondor that brought about its own decay, falling by degrees into dotage, and thinking that the Enemy was asleep, who was only banished not destroyed." He smiled grimly. "He is not asleep. He has risen again. The power of the Black Land grows and we are hard beset. This very year, in the days of June, sudden war came upon us out of Mordor, and we were swept away. We were outnumbered, for Mordor has allied itself with the Easterlings and Haradrim; but it was not by numbers that we were defeated."

He paused, glancing at Glóin, and then at Frodo. "A great black horseman rode with them, one that I daresay some of you have met before. Wherever he came a madness filled our foes, but fear fell on our boldest, so that horse and man gave way and fled. Only a remnant of our eastern force came back, destroying the last bridge that still stood amid the ruins of Osgiliath. Boromir, my elder brother, and I were in the company that held the bridge, until it was cast down behind us. Four only were saved by swimming; Boromir, myself, and two others. But I was not bidden to ask for help—although we need it—but for counsel, and the unravelling of hard words. On the eve of the sudden assault, a dream came to me, and several nights thereafter; it also came once to Boromir.

"In it, I saw the eastern sky grow dark, and there was a growing thunder, but in the  
West a pale light lingered, and out of it I heard a voice, remote but clear, crying:

_Seek for the Sword that was broken:_

_In Imladris it dwells;_

_There shall be counsels taken_

_Stronger than Morgul-spells._

_There shall be shown a token_

_That Doom is near at hand,_

_For Isildur's Bane shall waken,_

_And the Halfling forth shall stand._"

He paused, and Frodo stared; fortunately he was not the only one. Even Glorfindel looked taken aback. Isildur's Bane, the Halfling—he felt as never before how small he was, in importance as well as stature, and how great the affairs in which he was caught up. Here was this great man, who had come all these many miles from _Gondor _in order to decipher the words of a dream; and whoever had sent the dream (Frodo thought he could guess, and his mind shrank at it) had spoken of _Frodo_. He swallowed, as Faramir continued, a little more easily, speaking of his father the Steward—so that was why he had looked uncomfortable earlier—and of their struggle to comprehend what was meant.

"My brother was anxious to go, as the way was full of doubt and danger, and he is the elder and hardier, but he unfortunately acquired an injury before the day of departure." This was so abrupt that several of those present blinked rather suspiciously, and Faramir smiled ruefully. "I have a young cousin who is—somewhat inclined towards interference in matters he does not wholly understand." Frodo almost laughed, thinking of Pippin, and even of Merry. "The journey was long, and hard, and I have guessed at some of what is meant; but not all, and they are still no more than guesses."

"And here in the house of Elrond more shall be made clear to you," said Aragorn, standing up. He cast his sword upon the table that stood before Elrond, and the blade was in two pieces. "Here is the Sword that was Broken!" he said.

Faramir stared at it, and his fingers twitched, as if he longed to reach out and touch it. "Narsil," he breathed, his grey eyes shining in his pale, grave face. "I _thought_ the rhyme must be speaking of Narsil, but—" He looked up at Aragorn. "Who are—how did—" He stopped, his eyes fixed on Aragorn's, and paled, as if a piece of valuable but unwelcome knowledge had just come to him.

"He is Aragorn son of Arathorn," said Elrond; "and he is descended through many fathers from Isildur Elendil's son of Minas Ithil. He is the Chief of the Dúnedain of the North, and few are now left of that folk."

_Isildur? _"Then it belongs to you, and not to me at all!" cried Frodo in astonishment, springing to his feet, as if he expected the Ring to be demanded at once.

"It does not belong to either of us," said Aragorn; "but it has been ordained that you should hold it for a while."

"Bring out the Ring, Frodo!" said Gandalf solemnly. "The time has come. Hold it up, and then Faramir will understand the remainder of his riddle."

There was a hush, and all turned their eyes on Frodo. He was shaken by a sudden shame and fear; and he felt a great reluctance to reveal the Ring, and a loathing of its touch. He wished he was far away. The Ring gleamed and flickered as he held it up before them in his trembling hand.

"Behold Isildur's Bane!" said Elrond.

Faramir's eyes narrowed as he gazed at the Ring, and he took a step backwards. He looked rather like how Frodo felt: decidedly ill. "So this is the answer to all the riddles," he said grimly. "The One Ring that was thought to have perished from the world." He shook his head, and sat down. "The doom of Minas Tirith has come at long last."

"The words were not _the doom of Minas Tirith_," said Aragorn. "But doom and great deeds are indeed at hand. For the Sword that was Broken is the Sword of Elendil that broke beneath him when he fell. It has been treasured by his heirs when all other heirlooms were lost; for it was spoken of old among us that it should be made again when the Ring, Isildur's Bane, was found. Now you have seen the sword you have sought, what would you ask? Do you wish for the House of Elendil to return to the Land of Gondor?"

"I?" Faramir looked rather surprised. "Yes, I wish that; but I am not the Steward, nor even his heir. I do not have the power, or the right, to challenge the rulings of my forefathers. Yet for myself, I would see the White Tree in flower again in the courts of the kings, and the Silver Crown return, and Minas Tirith in peace."

"Perhaps you shall," Aragorn said quietly. "The world is changing once again. A new hour comes. Isildur's Bane is found. Battle is at hand. The Sword shall be reforged. I will come to Minas Tirith."

Faramir swallowed. "May the day not be too long delayed," he said steadily. "Our might is waning. But if I now understand the different parts of the dream, I do not know what it means together, or its purpose in bringing me hither, from my homeland where I am needed. And this Thing—" he looked at the Ring with clear distaste—"what is to be done with it?"

"It is for that purpose that we are gathered," said Gandalf. "Here we all are, and here is the Ring. What shall we do with it?"

Many suggestions were made. Give it to Tom Bombadil. No, he would not be a safe keeper. Throw it in the Sea; no, it would not be safe there. Send it over the Sea, to the Valar; no, they would not accept it, and it was for the peoples of Middle-earth to take care of in any case. It was decided. It must be thrown into the fire from whence it came; although there were those there who clearly did not like the suggestion. Erestor and Galdor both looked rather sceptical, Glorfindel seemed decidedly melancholy, Glóin was scowling, and the two Men were grimmer than ever.

"The road must be trod," said Elrond, "but it will be very hard. And neither strength nor wisdom will carry us far upon it. This quest may be attempted by the weak with as much hope as the strong. Yet such is oft the course of deeds that move the wheels of the world: small hands do them because they must, while the eyes of the great are elsewhere."

"Very well, very well, Master Elrond!" said Bilbo suddenly. "Say no more! It is plain enough what you are pointing at. Bilbo the silly hobbit started this affair, and Bilbo had better finish it, or himself. I was very comfortable here, and getting on with my book. If you want to know, I am just writing an endeing for it. I had thought of putting: _and he lived happily ever afterwards to the end of his days. _It is a good ending, and none the worse for having been used before. Now I shall have to alter that it does not look like coming true; and anyway there will evidently have to be several more chapters, if I live to write them. It is a frightful nuisance. When ought I to start?"

All looked at the hobbit with grave respect. Only Glóin smiled, but his smile came from old memories.

"Of course, my dear Bilbo," said Gandalf. "If you had really started this affair, you might be expected to finish it. But you know well enough now that _starting _is too great a claim for any, and that only a small part is played in great deeds by any hero. You need not bow! Though the word was meant, and we do not doubt that under jest you are making a valiant offer. But one beyond your strength, Bilbo. You cannot take this thing back. It has passed on. If you need my advice any longer, I should say that your part is ended, unless as a recorder. Finish your book, and leave the ending unaltered! There is still hope for it. But get ready to write a sequel, when they come back."

Bilbo laughed. "I have never known you give me pleasant advice before," he said. "As all your unpleasant advice has been good, I wonder if this advice is not bad. Still, I don't suppose I have the strength or luck left to deal with the Ring. It has grown, and I have not. But tell me: what do you mean by _they_?"

"The messengers who are sent with the Ring."

"Exactly! And who are they to be? That seems to me what this Councli has to decide, and all that it has to decide. Elves may thrive on speech alone, and Dwarves endure great weariness; but I am only an old hobbit, and I miss my meal at noon. Can't you think of some names now? Or put it off until after dinner?"

No one answered. The noon-bell rang. Still no one spoke. Frodo glanced at all the faces, but they were not turned to him. All the Council sat with downcast eyes, as if in deep thought. A great dread fell on him, as if he was awaiting the pronouncement of some doom that he had long foreseen and vainly hoped might after all never be spoken. An overwhelming longing to rest and remain at peace by Bilbo's side in Rivendell filled all his heart. At last with an effort he spoke, and wondered to hear his own words, as if some other will was using his small voice.

"I will take the Ring," he said, "though I do not know the way."


End file.
